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134
THE FOLKLORE OF GUJARAT
Such spirits generally belong to the class of the Bavan, the Vir, the Bàbro, Màmo, Vaital, Dadamo and Yaksha. Of these, Mamo, Vir, Vaital and Dàdamo prove beneficial through favour, while the rest become the slaves of those who subdue them.1
It is believed that Suro Puro and Dado favour only their blood relations.2
It is related that in building the numerous tanks and temples attributed to Siddhraj Jaysing, a former king of Gujarat, he was assisted by the spirit Bàbario whom he had brought under his control.
A tradition is current that Tulsidas, the celebrated author of the Ramayan in Hindi and a great devotee of Ràm, had secured personal visits from the god Hanuman through the favour of a ghost.
The king Vikram is said to have received great services from the evil spirits Vaitàl and
Jal.+
his abode (the Khijado tree), these persons. recovered their senses.8
Is is related that a màmo lived on a Khijado tree at the gate of the village Surel. He manifested himself, dressed in white garments, for a period of nearly ten years, Once he frightened several persons out of their senses. It is said that on his being propitiated with an offering of wheaten bread at
The Habib-Vad or Habib's banyan tree on
the road leading from Màvaiya to Gondal is a favourite haunt of bhuts, who frighten and stupefy persons passing by that road.
There is a step-well near Hampar unter the jurisdiction of Dhrangadhra which is the A Giràsia and his wife resort of a bhut. arrived here one day at midnight. The Giràsia tied h's mare to a tree hard by, and went to the well to fetch water for the mare. On his return he found there a number of mares like his own tied to the trees. He therefore smelt their mouths to recognise which of them was his own, but in the flurry caused by the appearance of so many mares, his waist-cloth got entangled, and while mounting his mare he fell down, which frightened him so much that he exclaimed "I am overtaken (by a ghost)" and died.10
In a book entitled Vaitàla Pachisi it is described how a bhut lived on a banyan tree in Ujjain.5
It is related that in the Chhaliàchok at Limbdi, no woman has yet succeeded in recit
It is related that in Rajkot a bhut called ing a garabi (song) in honour of the goddess. Thunthia lived on a banyan tree."
Mahakali to the end, as a ghost which lives on the tamarind tree opposite the chok (square) is averse to its completion.
To the east of Kolki there is a tree called Jlàa which is inhabited by a màmo. It is related that the màmo frightens persons passing by the tree. Near the school at Kolki there is a Pipal on which lives a sikotaran who frightens people passing along the
road.7
There is a house at Porbandar haunted by a ghost, in which none is able to reside.11
It is believed that only those trees, the wood of which cannot be used for sacrificial purposes, can be haunted by evil spirits. Such trees are the Khijado, the Baval, the Kerado and the tamarind.12
Kshetrapal is believed to be the guardian spirit of fields and Suropuro and Mamado are believed to protect harvest and cattle.18
The School Masters of Vanod and Kotda Sangani. The School Master of Dadvi.
The School Master of Kolki. The School Master of Drank.
4 The School Master of Uptela. The School Mistress of Girls' school, Gondal, and the School Master of Dhank
The School Master of Kolki The School Master of Mavaiya. The School Master of Limbdi.
The School Master of Surel. 10 The School Master of Lilapur.
The School Master of Moti Murad.
13 The School Master of Kotda Sangani.
